Magdalene Hanley

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt. Mom passed away on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at the age of 89.

Mom was predeceased by our father, Tom Hanley; her father and mother, George and Caroline Geiger; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Michael and Luella (Bregg) Hanley; brothers Jack (Willene) and Greg (Maude); sisters Marie, Monica, Katherine (Pete), and Georgina (Bernard); brothers-in-law Gerald (Dorothy) and Carmond (Audrey), Harvey Leibel, and Fred Ermel.

She leaves to mourn, her children Bonnie (Randy) Frankl, Lyle (Karen) Hanley, and Darlene (Ken) Kolstad; grandchildren Jason (Sherri-Anne), Trevor (Richelle), Tracy (Jeff), Colleen (Scott), Kevin (Alyssa), Megan (Randy), Cody, Chelsea (Brent), Tyrel (Mary); and nineteen great-grandchildren; siblings Tillie Geiger, Louise Leibel, Frances Ermel, and Ernest Geiger (Doris); and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mom was born on July 22, 1931 on the family farm 5 miles north of Weyburn. The family moved to the farm 3.5 miles west of Cedoux in 1936 where she attended Connor School. Mom loved to reminisce about growing up on the farm, and especially playing ball on Sunday afternoons when the neighbours would see them and come over to join in on the fun. She also fondly remembered attending many Saturday night dances with her sister Georgie. Her first job outside the family farm was housekeeping for a neighbor family and from there she became a waitress working at the Club Café in Weyburn. She met Tom (the love of her life) through her brother Greg in 1948 and romance ensued. They married in October of 1950. From Weyburn they moved to Marquis, Regina, Pense and then finally retiring back in Regina, where she’s lived for the last 24 years.

In their first 6 years in Pense, they lived above the Massey Ferguson dealership on Main Street and it became obvious that Mom would be the parts “man” for the dealership, since dad was part owner. She became very knowledgeable with the ins and outs of farm machinery and parts, and was an invaluable asset to the company and the farmers they serviced. Later on while still living in Pense, Mom loved being close to her grandchildren. She and dad attended all of their sporting events and Christmas concerts, which carried on further with her great-grandchildren. She loved when the grandkids would pop in for a snack after school or bike riding with their friends, and having them close enough to have them often for sleepovers. When asked why her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were allowed to eat cookies for breakfast, Mom’s answer would always be “it doesn’t matter what they eat as long as they eat something”. Mom was an impeccable hostess and could throw a gourmet meal together at the drop of a hat when family and friends would just drop by, or when dad would unexpectedly bring a client home for lunch. Next to her love of her family, she enjoyed gardening, baking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, fishing, visiting with family and friends and of course the odd “little” glass of wine.

Mom had immeasurable courage and strength and handled everything in life with grace and dignity, including her diagnosis with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Mom’s last 2.5 months were spent at William Booth Care Home in Regina. We will be forever grateful for the compassion and love they showed her and her family, as they treated her like she was one of their own.

Due to COVID restrictions, the Funeral Mass will be private for family and will be held at Resurrection Parish, 3155 Windsor Park Road, Regina, SK on Monday, February 1, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. Those wishing to view the Funeral Mass via livestream, log onto www.resurrectionparish.ca and click LIVESTREAM (Live and Archived Events and there will be a link there). In honor of Mom and her fight with Alzheimer’s, please wear something purple on Monday.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date when we can safely get together as an extended family.

Flowers most gratefully declined. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Saskatchewan, 301-2550-12th Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 3X1, the Parkinson’s Society of Saskatchewan, 110B-2103 Airport Drive, Regina, SK, S7L 6W2, or The Salvation Army - William Booth Care Home, 50 Angus Road, Regina, SK, S4R 8P6.